Thread-cutting attachment for sewing-machines.



R. L. COLBY.

THREAD CUTTING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAILZZ, 1913.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

2 SHEETB*-BHEET 1.

.W 57 Q fl 15 a My w R. L. COLBY. THREAD CUTTING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1913.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ROBERT LEE COLEY,

OF KANNAPOLIS,

NORTH CARCLINA.

THREAD-CUTTING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Ronnar Lnn COLBY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Kannapolis, in the county of Cabarrus and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thread-Cutting Attachments for Sewing-h/Iachines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in thread cutting attachments for sewing machines, and has for its object the provision of mechanism of the character specified, adapted for connection with certain types of sewing machines, for automatically clipping .the thread between succeeding pieces of work, as each piece is completed, and wherein means is provided for restraining the operation of the cutter during the passage of the work beneath the needle.

In the drawings:Figure 1 is a front view of a portion of a sewing machine provided with the improved attachment, the feed table being in section; Fig. 2 is a central vertical section taken at right angles to the direction of movement of the work with the parts in operative position; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the connection between the cutter and the needle bar; Fig. 4 is a similar view of the heddlc; Fig, 5 is a side view taken at right angles to Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrow; and, Fig. 7 is a sectional. View similar to Fig. 2 showing the parts in inoperative position.

The present embodiment of the invention is an improvement over my prior Patent, No. 1047887 hearing date of December 17, 1912, and is shown in connection with the feed table 1 of a sewing machine provided with a double feed consisting of the two feed plates 2 and 2, and having a double presser foot consisting of a socket 3 adapted to encircle the presser bar 4 of the machine, and to be held in place by a screw bolt 5, and having the presscr feet 6 and 6 cooperating with the double feed 2-2.

A post 7 is connected to the feed plate 1 of the machine, by means of a screw 8, and

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 22, 1913.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

Serial No. 743,513.

I the post is provided with a lateral arm 9 at its upper end, the said arm extending approximately parallel with the prcsser feet 0-6. The said arm 9 is provided with an extension 10 at the end remote from the post, and the extension is longitudinally recessed or slotted as shown at 11.. A rod 12 is movable longitudinally of the extension in the slot or recess 11, the said rod having its ends slidable in bearing openings 13 and '14 respectively in the ends of the extension. A sleeve 15 is mounted on the rod in the slot, the said sleeve being held in place by a set screw 16, passing through the sleeve and engaging the rod, and the rod is provided with a fixed annular rib or collar 17 adjacent to the sleeve. Coil springs 18 and 18 encircle the rod on the outer sides of the collar and sleeve respectively, each of the said springs bearing against the end of the slot 11 at its outer end.

A casing 19 is arranged beneath the feed plate, the said casing being connected to the machine by means of screws 20, and the movable blade 21 of the cutter is provided with an extension 22 slidable in the said casing. The extension is provided with a downwardly extending pin 23 at its lower end, and a coil spring 24 encircles the pin hearing at one end against the extension 22, and at the other end against the lower end of the casing 19, the said spring acting normally to press the extension and the movable blade upwardly. An operating lever 25 is connected with the movable blade, the said lever being longitudinally slotted at its lower end as shown at 26, and being pivoted to the movable blade by a bolt or rivet 27, the

said bolt or rivet passing through the lower end of the lever and through the blade. The lever passes through the slot or recess 11 of the extension 10, and the rod 12 is received in the slot 26 before mention l, as is also the blade. The lever asses between the sleeve 15 and the collar 1 and the coil springs 18 and 18 normally act to hold the lever in the position shown in Fig. 2, the spring 18 being slightly stronger than the spring 18. The upper end of the lever 25 is adapted for engagement by one end of an arm 28, whoseother end is provided with a bearing 29 encircling the needle bar 30 of the sewing machine, and held in fixed position on the bar by meansfof a set screw 31.

The arm 28 is in position to engage the foot bar. The lower end of thebar is prowardly.

vided with a slotted foot 34, which fits on opposite sides of the movable blade 21, and the said slotted foot is adapted to engage and rest upon the work, when the work is yet engaged with the needle.- At'its upper end the bar is provided with an upwardly extending pin 35, which fits and moves in an opening in a lug 36 extending laterally from t e sewing machine head 37. A coil, spring 38 encircles the in 35 between the lug 36 and the upper en lofthe bar, the said spring acting normally to press" the bar down-. The bar is also provided with a laterallyextending pin 39 near its upper end, and a bar 40 is. connected withjthe outer end of the arm 28, by means of a bolt 41, and the said bar is provided with an opening through which the bar 32 passes;

The arm 28 and the bar 40 reciprocate with the needle bar, and whenever the said bar 40 engages the pin 39 the bar 32 is lifted, that is, the foot 34 is lifted whenever the needle 42 connected with the needle bar moves'upward. The bar 32 is provided near its lower end with an opening 43, of a size to permitthe passage of the end of the rod 12, when the said opening 43 is in register with the. rod. The movable blade 21 cooperates With-a fixed or ledger blade 45, thesaid fixed or ledger blade being supported Just below the food table 1 of the machine. It will be noticed from inspection of Fig. 5,

that the movable blade 21 is beveled at its,

lower edge, and that the fixed blade 45 is arranged. adjacent to the cutting edge formed by the beveling of the blade.

With ower-operated machines, as also with han -operated machines, the-work, that is the articles to be sewn, are passedthrough the machine in close succession, asecond article,bein fed as the first is engaged, so that the'mac ine operates continuously. Af-

ter the articles are sewn, they are in the usual practice separated by a second operative who clips-the connecting thread. With the' improved attachment, the services of the second operative may be dispensed with, the device operating automatically to clip the thread whenever an article is finished.

In operation, thework 46 is passed "between the presser feet and the feed plates in the usual manner and is fed, the needle operating in the usual manner to sew the garment. When the presser bar is lifted, to permit the 'Work to be inserted, the needle bar is also lifted by the operator, and the arm 28 and the bar 40 lift with the needle bar, and the said bar 40 by its engagement with the in 39 lifts the bar 32 thus lifting the slotte foot 34 to permit ,the work to be inserted beneath the same. When the presser bar is lowered, the foot of the bar 32 rests upon the upper face of the work, as shown in Fig. 7. The springs 1818 normally hold thelever 25 in the position of Fig. 7, and as the needle bar reciprocates, the arm 28 reciprocates therewith,.without touching the upper end of the lever 25.

When the seam is'completed and the work passes out from beneath the foot '34 of the bar 32, the said foot is no longer supported bythe work, and as a consequence the bar and the foot move downwardly into the position of Fig. 2, without interfering with the action 1 of the blade 21, and the said foot is offset inwardly from the bar 32 proper, as shown at 47 in Figs. 2 and? to permit the blade to 'move withoutinterfer ing with the bar 32. Y 1

The spring 18 is of. slightly greater strength than the spring 18, so that the normal position of the lever 25 will. be as shown in Fig.2, that is with the shoulder or ledge 48 at the 11 per end of the said lever out of position or-engagement by the end of the arm 28. -'llhe lifting of the bar 32 by the work, brings the opening 43 of the bar out of register with the bearing of the pin 12 and with the, said'pin, so that the said pin cannot pass into the said opening and into the position of Fig. 2. However, when the bar 32 is'permitted to drop by the passage of the work from under the foot thereof, the opening 43 comes into'register with the pin .12, and the spring 18 forces the pin to the right as shown in Fig. 2 and into the opening 43, thus permitting theable blade and the fixed blade. When the needle bar again moves upward, the spring 24 presses the movable blade upwardly, and

the further upward movement of the needle bar causes thearm '28 to engage the cam plate- 49 connected with the lever 25 and extending upwardly and inwardly as shown, and swings the said lever outwardly as shown in Fig. 1, thus moving the rod 12 to the left to withdraw it from-the opening 43 to permit the bar 32 to be again moved upward, to bringthe opening 43 out of register with the rod 12. The bar 40 may move downwardly without affecting the bar 32 and may move upwardly a considerable distance without affecting the same. In fact the said bar 40 does not engage the pin 39 to move the bar 32', until the needle bar is near the end of its upward movement. The cam plate 49 on the lever 25 is engaged by the arm 28 at the beginning of its upward movement, thus disengaging the pin 12 before the bar 40 engages the pin 39, so that there is no possibility of breakage of the parts.

It will be evident from the description, that so long as the bar 32 is held lifted by the work moving beneath the foot 34, the pin 12 cannot enter the opening 43 of the bar 32, and the lever 25 cannot take a vertical position, so that the shoulder 48 thereof will be engaged by the arm 28 to depress the movable blade of the cutter. Thus the movable blade is inoperative so long as the work is in position to be damaged by the movement thereof. As soon, however, as the work has passed from beneath the foot of the bar 32 the lever can swing into vertical position to be engaged by the operating arm 28. Since the foot of the bar 32 is split or slotted and fits upon both sides of the blade, there is no possibility of injury to the work from movement of the blade.

I claim 1. The combination with a sewing ma chine provided with a presser foot, a feed plate and a needle bar, of a thread cutting attachment comprising an auxiliary presscr foot and an auxiliary feed plate cooperating with and arranged behind and in approximate alinement with the presser foot and feed plate of the machine, a fixed blade between the feed plates, a movable blade cooperating with the fixed blade, means for guiding the said movable blade'for movement toward and from the fixed blade, a lever pivoted. to the movable blade, an arm extending laterally from the needle bar above the movable blade and in position to engage the upper end of the lever to depress the movable blade when the needle bar moves downward, normally active means for holding the lever in vertical position and in position to be engaged by the arm when the needle bar moves downward, a bar mounted for vertical reciprocating move ment and having a foot for engagement by the work to lift the bar, said bar having an opening for permitting the passage of the rod to permit the lever to take a vertical position when the bar is out of engagement with the Work, and means on the arm for lifting the bar when the needle bar is near the end of its upward stroke.

2. The combination with a sewing machine provided with a presser foot, a feed plate and a needle bar, of a thread cutting attachment comprising an auxiliary presser foot and an auxiliary feed plate cooperating with and arranged behind and in approximate alinement with the presser foot and feed plate of the machine, a fixed blade between the feed plates, a movable blade cooperating with the fixed blade, means for guiding the said movable blade for movement toward and from the fixed blade, a lever pivoted to the movable blade, an arm extending laterally from the needle bar above the movable blade in position to engage the upper end of the lever to depress the movable blade when the needle bar moves downward, normally active means for holding the lever in vertical position and in position to be engaged by the arm when the needle bar moves downward, means operated by the work for holding the lever in inclined position, and means on the lever for engagement by the arm to move ,the lever into inclined operative position when the needle bar moves upward.

-3. The combination with a sewing machine provided With a presser foot, a feed plate and a needle bar, of a thread cutting attachment comprising an auxiliary presser foot and an auxiliary feed plate cooperating with and arranged behind and in approximate alinement with the presser foot and feed plate of the machine, a fixed blade between the fecd plates, a movable blade cooperating with the fixed blade, means for guiding said movable blade for movement toward and from the fixed blade, a lever pivoted to the movable blade, an arm extending laterally from the needle bar above the movable blade and in position to engage the upper end of the lever to depress the movable blade when the needle bar moves downward, normally active means for bolding the lever in vertical position and in position to be engaged by the arm when the needle bar moves downward. and means operated by the work for holding the lever in inclined position.

at. The combination with a sewing machine provided with a presser foot, a feed plate and a needle bar, of a fixed blade extending transversely of the needle behind the same,a movable blade cooperating with the fixed blade for severing the thread be hind thencedle, a lever pivoted to the movable blade, an arm on the needle bar "for engaging the lever when the lever is in vertical position, a spring normally pressing the movable blade upward, normally active means for holding the lever in vertical position, a vertically movable bar having a foot for engaging the work adjacent to the movable blade, means in connection with the bar and the lever for holding the lever in inclined position when the bar foot is in engagement with the work and for permitting the lever to move to vertical position when the bar foot is not engaged with the work, and an auxiliary feeding device for the work in rear of the needle.

5. The combination with a sewing machine provided with a presserfoot, a feed plate and a needle bar, of a fixed blade extending transversely of the needle behind the same, a movable blade cooperating with the fixed blade for severing the thread behind the needle, a lever pivoted to the movable blade, an arm on the needle bar for engaging the lever when the lever isin vertical position, a spring normally pressing the movable blade upward, normally active means for holding the lever in vertical position, means operated by the work for bolding the leverin inclinedposition, means in connection with the lever for engagement by the arm to positively move the lever out of position for engagement by the arm when the needle bar moves upward, and an auxiliary feeding device for the articles in rear of the needle bar. I

6. The combination with 'a sewing machine provided with a presser foot,.a feed plate and a needle bar, of a cutter arranged behind the presser foot for severing the thread, an arm on the needle bar for operating the cutter, a lever mounted to swing into and out of the path of movement of the arm and connected with the cutter for operating the same when the lever is depressed, a spring normally holding the lever in vertical position and in position to be engaged by the arm when the needle bar moves downward, means operated by the work for holding the lever in inclined position and out of position to be engaged by the arm, means in connection with the lever for en gagement by the arm to positively move the lever'out of position for engagement by the arm when the needle bar moves upward, and an auxiliary feeding device for the article in rear of the needle bar;

7. The combination with a sewing ma chine provided with a presser foot, a feed plate and a needle bar, of a cutter arranged behind the presser foot for severing the thread, an arm on the needle bar for operating the cutter, a lever mounted toswing into and out of the path of movement of the arm and connected with the cutter for oper-. ating the same when the lever is depressed,

a spring normally holding the lever in vertical position and in position to be engaged by the arm when the needle bar moves downward, means operated by the work for holding the lever in inclined position and out of position to be engaged by the arm, and an auxiliary feeding device for the ar ticle in rear of the needle bar.

absence 8. The combination with a sewing machine, provided with a presser foot, a feed plate and a needle bar, of a cutter arranged behind the presser foot for severing the thread, an arm on the needle barfor operating the cutter, a lever mountecl'to swing into and out of the path of movement of the arm andconnected with the cutter for operating the same when the lever is depressed, normally active means holding the lever in vertical position and in position to chine, provided with a presser foot, a feed plate and a needle bar, of a cutter arranged behind the presser foot for severing the thread, an arm on the needle bar for operating the cutter, a lever mounted to swing into and out of the path of movement of the arm and connected with the cutter for operating the same when the leveris depressed,

normally active means holding the lever invertical position and in position to be engaged by the arm when the needle bar moves downward, and means operated by the work for holding'the lever in inclined position and out of position to be engaged by the arm.

10. In a sewing machine provided with a presser foot, and a needle bar, a cutter arranged behind the presser foot for cutting the thread, means connected with and actuated by the needle bar for operating the cutter, normally active means for connecting the needle bar andthe -cutter, means for restraining the operation of the said connecting means, and means operated by the work when in position to be sewed for holding the said restraining means in operative position.

11. In a sewing machine provided with a presser foot, and a needle bar, a cutter arranged behind the presser foot for cutting the thread, means connected with and actuated by the needle bar for operating the V 12. In a sewing machine having a presser foot and a needle bar, a cutter for cutting the thread, means for connecting the said cutter to the needle bar to cause the needle bar to operate the cutter when the said needle bar moves downward, a spring normally acting to cause the said connecting means to connect the needle bar and the cutter, and means for restraining'the operation of the spring, said means being controlled by the work when in position to be needle har moves downward, and means sewed. operated by the work for preventing the 13. In a sewing machine having a resser operation of the said connecting means. foot and a needle bar, a cutter for cutting ROBERT LEE COLEY. 5 the thread, means for connecting the said Witnesses:

cutter to the needle bar to cause the needle 0. E. Sonnnono,

hmto operate the cutter when the said R. L LOWE- 

